Friendly Talk
by Lily4873
Summary: Dean is pissed at Castiel. Sam has a friendly talk with the brooding angel. Missing scene for 8.22 Clip Show. Sam's POV. I don't think this kind of conversation ever took place in canon, but I wish it had.


Dean is royally pissed. Last night, they brought the badly wounded Castiel back to the Men of Letters bunker. He looks much better this morning, but it is clear he's still in the healing process. Dean has been giving Castiel the silent treatment and snapping at him every time he tries to apologize or offers his help. Suddenly, Sam notices the angel is nowhere in sight.

He finds Castiel in the library room. It's not like the angel needs to consult these books for ancient knowledge. He is hiding himself from Dean for the moment, Sam figures. The angel is sitting slumped on the step stool, staring blankly into space. _A brooding angel._ Sam thinks with a hint of amusement. For someone who completely lacks some human skills, Castiel sometimes looks very, very human.

"Hey," Sam greets the lone figure in his best soothing voice. Castiel just glances up at him without a word. The younger Winchester walks up to his friend and takes the chair beside him.

"Sorry about Dean," Sam offers after a short moment of silence.

"Sam, you have no reason to be sorry. Neither does Dean," replies the angel, casting his eyes down to the wooden floor. Sam turns halfway towards him and tries to explain what he sees and Castiel apparently doesn't.

"You know, he's not really mad because you let him down or anything. It's because of the way you took off on him. I mean, he _is_ offended you didn't trust him with the tablet, but he might not have argued if you'd just talked to him. This is angel stuff after all."

Castiel turns to look at him and articulates, "But he _is._ Angry. At me."

"Right, but this isn't the way he deals with betrayal or disappointment," Sam says, trying to find the right words. "He's acting more like… more like a parent who's just found his runaway kid." Before even seeing the frown on Castiel's face, he quickly backpedals and holds up his hands. "No. No, no, forget it. Bad example."

The poor angel tilts his head, looking even more perplexed. Sam takes a deep breath and tries again.

"Cas, you got to understand you had him worried, disappearing like that, and scared him, showing up in the headlights all bloody. And that's not all." He pauses to collect his thoughts and continues, "Do you know how upset he was after he left you in Purgatory?"

"He didn't –" Castiel starts to protest, but Sam shuts him up. "I know, you stayed. You thought you deserved to stay, right? I guess, deep down, Dean knew it too, but he didn't want to believe it. Hell, he practically refused to talk about you when I asked. So at first, I thought it was survivor's guilt that was eating him up, but now that I know what really happened –" Sam leans forward to meet Castiel's eyes. "I think it was a sense of rejection. You know, he didn't fight tooth and nail to get you out of Purgatory just because he felt responsible. He did it because he wanted to, Cas. He just wanted to get you back in his life. Have you ever thought about it?"

Having said that almost in one breath, Sam straightens up in the chair and watches his friend's reaction. Castiel remains silent. Although it's hard to read his solemn expression, he looks somewhat taken aback and lost in thought at the same time.

"After you came back, you weren't really yourself. That made him really nervous," Sam goes on quietly. "Then we found the tablet. You beat him up, regained yourself, and just took off on him. So, yeah, he was hurt and worried and scared, and that kind of emotions can easily turn into anger once he sees you're back with us. I guess that's why he's so pissed at you right now."

If it weren't Castiel, Sam would shy away from talking so explicitly about human psychology, let alone his brother's. But it is Castiel, and Sam is willing to go out on a limb for this celestial friend and his own brother.

"Don't worry. He'll come around," Sam assures the angel, patting him lightly on the shoulder. With that, he stands up and heads for the door.

"And Cas," he calls before leaving.

"For the record, you had me worried there too. So don't –" Sam cuts himself off and rephrases it. "Try not to do that again, okay?"

Castiel fixes him with those clear blue eyes. "I'll try," he replies gravely. Then a slight, but genuine smile softens his face. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Sam smiles back and walks out the door, feeling actually better for the first time in the last few days.

End


End file.
